Response to “No Kids Allowed” by Tyler Hanan, April 10 issue.
Dear Editor,
I, as a 26 year old parent of two, ages 5 and 6 have never received any government aid as a way to provide for my children. The only times I’ve been without employment were by choice, not because of my kids. It’s partially due to my own bad choices, made entirely by me in my youth, and partially my husband’s job. The job that sends him to remote areas of the world to be shot at and bombed, so often, in fact, it’s not unusual to hear mortars, bombs and gunfire in the background when you’re trying to have a conversation. A conversation about what he’s missed. The birth of his daughter, his sons first steps, birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anniversaries, only to get disconnected mid 15 minute phone call because one landed right outside the tent he’s calling from. The job where he’s been exposed to two wars in 7 years. Wars he doesn’t agree with all in the name of freedom, which gives this guy the choice to write semi-insulting articles about our lifestyle like this without fear of retaliation.
It’s really sad to know that while walking around Meijer one day with my money sucking, fun leaching offspring I might get secretly judged by some random guy, whose only admitted experience with kids is “one-time kid, current college student, birthday present-buying older brother and purchaser of all my own groceries” thinking to himself.
My life was going nowhere before my kids. I wasn’t in college, I lived with my parents, I had no job, no car. I was a loser who didn’t care about anything. They have given me the motivation to better myself as an example. In my humble opinion, they saved me from becoming one of those people busted for running a meth lab in my house. My time wasn’t lost, I just chose to spend it a different way.
Donnell Willette
Ferris State Student and Big Rapids citizen